Rowan Tree and Red Thread

Last night we had the worse flooding in Cork in 40 years (so say the radio and TV news). I walked home from work last night in lashing rain, protected from head to ankles in wet-weather gear. Unfortunately my footwear wasn't as waterproof as I'd hoped and after a few minutes I was trodding in squelching shoes.

I was lucky it was only my shoes. I crossed Patrick Street Bridge around 5.30pm and saw that the next bridge upriver was already perilously close to flooding. The 9pm news showed me that not only that bridge but Patrick Street too were seriously flooded, with several feet of water turning the street into a muddy river. High tide and the strong easterly winds were to blame, as the receding tide had to fight against the wind that drove the waters into Cork Bay.

This morning walking back into work I came along Oliver Plunkett Street, an immediate neighbour of Patrick Street. All the shops were damaged, with great, greasy streaks of mud across the floors, leaves and other debris piled up in corners or just strewn about. The bizarre sight of headless shop mannequins in the windows, stripped bare of clothes and ankles dirty with mud, will stay with me for a good while.

In other news, Sam has her driving test tomorrow. If the weather continues in this Biblical vein, I doubt she'll have an easy time of it. Fingers crossed.